


The Future

by thecompletebookworm



Series: Rumbelle Showdown [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Baby proofing the house, F/M, Grown up Bae, Pregnant Belle, Rumbelle Showdown 2016, Storybrooke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2019-04-26 16:43:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14406246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecompletebookworm/pseuds/thecompletebookworm
Summary: Prompts: Neal is still alive, Temp, Singing in the rainBelle is fed up with her family.  She's pregnant not helpless.  She's perfectly capable of walking to the library by herself.





	The Future

Belle could barely stop herself from rolling her eyes.  Her family was out of control.  She was pregnant, not helpless.  Still, she unconsciously rubbed her growing belly, it did bode well for their little girl.  She had not only a mother and father who loved her dearly, but also an older brother looking out for her at all times, even before she was born.  He was over at their house constantly, often with herbal teas and movies he thought she would like.  Neal knew more about babies in this new world than she did, a fact Belle was both grateful for and slightly annoyed by.

“Neal, I promise I’m not going to be doing anything crazy.  I’m just going to the library. What could go wrong at the li-” She saw his smirk and stopped, knowing he was thinking about falling bookshelves, vengeful pirates and cursed mirrors.  "No. Don’t answer that.  What I’m trying to say is I will be fine.  It’s not like I’ll be there alone; we hired Aurora as a temp remember.“

Neal gave her a sheepish grin, "I’m still just going to put in those plugs I was telling you about.”

“I don’t understand electricity fully yet, but it seems dangerous from what you’ve been saying. Maybe I should talk to Rumple about that. It’s nice, but…” Her hands were back protectively over her belly as if she could shield her daughter from those dangers right now.

“No!”  Neal could not let that idea reach his father’s ears.  Rumpelstiltskin would actually cut off the electricity if Belle even voiced the tiniest concern; after all he had been able to raise his first child without it, the second shouldn’t be too bad.  Neal had lived long enough in this world to know there was no way he was going back to no heating or light bulbs.  "Candles could hurt her too.  It’s just a different type of burn.  But with the plugs in the outlets, she’ll be fine.“  

Belle gave him a stern I’m-trusting-you-on-this look, before grabbing her bag and grudgingly slipping on her flats.   "I should be back before Rumple gets home, but if I don’t just tell him I’m at the library.”  

“Okay Mom.” He laughed at her look.  "You’re going to have to get used to it.  You’re going to be hearing it a lot more.“

"It’s still weird to hear you say it, what with you being much older than me.”

He smiled at that.  "Age is but a number.“

The dramatic phrase and his hand gestures reminded her so much of his father.  They were so alike even if they didn’t always accept it.

"Didn’t you want to go to the library?  Is something wrong?  Do you want to go back inside?  Should I put on Singing in the Rain again?” Do you want ice cream too?  Should I run to Granny’s for hamburgers?  Or do we need to call Papa I mean-“

Neal’s rapid-fire questions made Belle realize she was staring.  "Sorry just thinking.  I’m fine, really.”

“All right, but just promise you’ll take it easy.”  

This time she wasn’t able to manage to repress the urge to roll her eyes, but promised anyway before beginning on the walk to the Library.

For the most part, Belle kept that promise.  And by mostly she meant that she reshelved more books than Bae would have approved of, but Belle felt perfectly fine.  Anyway, they were children’s books, not editions of War and Peace.  Still when she saw, Aurora giving her a worried look, Belle figured it would be best to take a break.

She kept her basket of books with her as she went to find a normal sized chair.   Although she’d sat in the tiny colorful chairs before, right now, Belle wasn’t sure she’d be able to pull herself out of them.

At the nearby coach, she began to peruse the picture books.  They were lovely with their vibrant illustrations and optimistic stories.  Belle couldn’t stop herself from imagining the bedtimes spent with their little one. Rumplestiltskin would delight in doing all the voices and the warm feeling of happiness would be almost overwhelming as the three (or four if Neal was there) gained comfort from each other’s arms.

“Thinking about something, sweetheart?”

Belle hastily dropped the book and began to get up to meet her husband.

“Belle, please sit.  I’m coming to you darling. You just keep resting.”

She didn’t even have time to react to give him a frown for treating her like glass again before he was kissing her, pulling her as close as he was able with her belly in the way.  

“Bae called didn’t he?”

Rumplestiltskin could barely hide the sheepish grin.  "Aye, but I was making my way over here anyway; I brought hamburgers and iced tea if you want them.  I could join you if you’d like?“

"Yes always.”  

Somehow despite the fact that they were married and she was carrying his child, Rumplestiltskin still needed to be reassured she loved him.  Frankly Belle didn’t mind giving him the reminders; they were fun for both parties involved.  

He spread out the picnic blanket across the table and pulled out the food.   “What were you thinking about, sweetheart you looked lost in thought”  

“Just the future.  You, Me, Bae and this little bundle of trouble right here.”

He stopped putting her plate together to kiss her stomach.  "Bundle of joy more like, probably looks just like you with your spirit for adventure-“

"And your brain”

“And your eyes.”

“No,” Belle stared at him.  "She deserves your eyes, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s only because you haven’t seen your own.”

“You’re a tease,” She laughed, leaning back against him.  "But I love you.”

“I love you too. What about the future?”

“Bedtimes rituals mostly.  Apparently shelving picture books gets you into that mindset.”  

“Have you picked out the ones you’re reading her yet?”

“No I’m pretty sure you’ll be the one doing the reading.  You’re much better at all the voices.”

He gave her an indulgent smile,  "Not all the voices.  I need you to do the beautiful princesses and daring adventurers.  You couldn’t be more perfect for those.“

"I’m not sure about that, but we’ll just do this like we do everything else, together.”  

The love in the room felt palpable as he turned to giver her a kiss.

“In that case, why don’t we practice?  Didn’t Bae say the baby could hear us now?  Might as well get her used to it.”

“I liked this one.”  She handed him the brilliantly colored book.

Rumple cleared his throat and began, “There was once a quiltmaker who kept a house in the blue misty mountains up high.”  


End file.
